Printing apparatus.



G. W. MERRLL. PRINTING APPARATUS. .1 APPLICATION FILED MIR. 15,100

Patented Jan. 19, 1915:

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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guy WK To all whom it may concern PATENT @FCE 1 GUY We Mmmiinor IaNcoLN,

Mei-'Nef PRINTING APPAATUS.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Be it known that citizen of the United States, and a resident of incolu, liii the co'un'ty 'of Penobscot and Statel of Blaine', have inyented a' new' and Improwied Printing Apparatus, of ywhich 'the follQWing is a'full, clear, and exact description. 'y v 'li'isinyention relatesl to ertaiii 'imp'i'dvej ments vin printing apparatus, 'and' more' particularly to that type of apparatus disclosed in my prior applicationjeria'l No.,f123,337,' liledMarchQ, 1908. l 1 E One object of my' inyention is`td'simplify the operation "by "providing" for the lauto`- matic opening of the shutter instead of the manual openingoflthe sanieas illustrated in my prior application, :and a `f urther object of the invention t a'c1litate 'the transferringof the/cards without I iecessitating theA use olf 4an adhesive or igelatiii'ou's material, In bothgmy p reyioiis construction and in l that illustrated in: this application,1'pro rier and platenl is inoperative vide a combined blank carrier and platen, by means ofwhich'the blanks arepieked up oneat a time and held in enga ement with a negative or printing plate. combined blank carrier and platen piiotally' mounted at the `ends Eof two' swingin "arms, and

occupies a position insub'stantially a terti-l calplane while the printing "operation 'is eiiig carriedf oii7 Aftersthe ,sensitized blank is pressed into engagement' 'With the negative, it lisnecessary to' open a shutter, or. inf'some other in aiiner permit thelight to, pass through the negativel tothe sensitized blank. Y. y.An iinpoi'tf nt featureb my present iiiyention relates to the shutter and operating mechanism, whereby ythe shutter is opened automatically :after the lcombjinedblank can. position. The blankw` carrier and platen Ais` preferably formed of two separate parts resiliently coiinected, ,and the relative movementfof `one part in1 i'espectt tlliel other operates to contiolhthe 'shutter. f y.

' nother .featurey of 'the yinyention 'relates to'thezc'oiistruc'tion of these two parts of the blank fcarrier, wherebytheiij Vrelative movement seitifes tocause the leng'j'ageinent ofthe blank with thel carrier' 'nd'jits adherence therete"by,. ,ir pi teure. Y Reference is to had tothe accompany- Appiication mea March 1.5, 190e.

Patented J an'. 19, 1915. serial No. 483,415.

cation, iii'ivhiclisimilar characters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the figures,' aiid iin-which-lli l 'Figure lis 'a vertical section 4through l a' di'fide "constructedr in 'accordance With myI iiiveiitiii; Figl 2 is* vertical section on the line 2`.`2 offFi-g. 1; Fig. 3 is a *longitudinal section thrifg theblankI carrier; and-Fig. 4 'is` a face Viewof the blank carrier. 'In the speriieuieorin "illustrated, I employ a .horizontal base 10 anda vertical front 11 having an aperture l2, through which the light pass through the negative to the sehsiti'zedlllnk." Thebase A10'supports a frame `lincluding"standards 13 and la rock sl aft or pivot 14. 'A combined platenf and bla I carrier 15fis secured to a rod 16-s1idable lthrough*s'aid rock shaft-oifpivot .14 and inc yablev through an arc determined by two swinging' l'arms 17,17, 'each pivoted to the base 10 adjacentits intersection with the verticalgfront and pivoted to the ends of thel blank carrier. To this-extent,thefdevice is substantially the same as that illustrated in my prev'ious'application 'afbove'mentioned I The blank carrier'is formed of two separate blocks 18 and 19, arranged parallel and held apart" by intermediate springs 20. Screws carried y'by' one block and-kteii'ding' througlifopen'iiigs in the other, sei-ve t limit the separation of the two blocks. Thecenter' ofthe block 19 is so constructed that when tli'elblock is pressedinto engagement-'within blankythe blank is caused-to adhere' to the' block by reason of-a partial ing drawings, forming a 'pa-rt of this speci-1' vacuum within the latter; The block 19 has a large -coiiicalaperturef'QQ therethrough and wi'tliinthis apertureis mounted a disk 23otfirubbeifor the like.- The disk 23is out i'om'aiia't'piec'e 'of rubber and its normal tendency i's-to'lie in a single plane, but as the springs 2 0 press the two memberslS and 19 apart, lthey ydraw the. disk up into the aperture', se thatsaid disk-assumes a somewhat conical form. en pressure is aplied' tof'bifiig the members l'1S-and- 19. to-

ico

gether, thefdisk 23 automati'callyreturns to its' normaly Hat osition. l meansof which he 4blank carrier is mbved, isfhollow fa'ndatits loWer'feiid it extends through the "block or7inemberf-18 and termi-' nates, Within the member 19.'

`Therod 16 by L'u'edfto the tib sd that=the Liz'iteri'or of the u The lower opemand the disk is sel tube communicates with the hollow conical chamber beneaththe disk. rIhe rod is secured to the block or member 18 in any suitable manner, but preferably the latter is threaded, and washers Qliand-Z engage with the block upon opposite sides thereof. The rubber disk is held between one of the washers 25 and a terminal washer QG disposed within the conical chamber. At the outer end of the rod or tube 16, l provide an air valve of any suitable character, which may be opened manually or otherwise to permitthe admission of air. As illustrated, the tube has an opening Q7 at its outer end and lugs 28 adjacent the opening.. A valve y plate Z9 normally covers th'e opening and is carried by a lever 30 pivoted to the lugs. A suitable spring 31 normally holds the valve against its seat.

At the outer end of the rod or tube 16 is any suitable form of iiandle 32, by means of which the rod may be moved longitudinally and may be swung about the pivot 11ias a center. In vpicking up a blank, the rod 1s brought to a vertical position, and the Carrier is pressed down against the cards within any suitable form of tray or carrier 33. As pressure is applied to the handle 32. the springs 20'are compressed and some of the air beneath the disk either around the edges or past the valve 29. Upon lifting up on the handle 32, the blocks or members 18 or 19 of the carrier separate and a partial vacuum is created in the chamber or recess beneath thedisk. This causes the blank to adhere to the carrier while the latter conveys the card to the negative. For bringing a blank into' printing contact with a negative or form to be printed from, a pressure is applied sutli'cient to insure the proper Contact of the blank 'With the negative or form. This pressure compresses the springs and permits the -disk 23 to return to its normal flat position. When the printing operation is completed, 'the combined platen and blank carrier is moved away from thenegative, and, at the same time, the valve 29 is opened to permit air to enter the tube. This destroys the .partial Vacuum beneath vthe disk 23, and while the platen is being returned for a second blank, the blank on the platen falls by gravityvinto a suitable chute or hopper 34 disposed beneath the carrier `and in its path of movement. To givev the under side of the block 19 a comparatively lsmooth surface, the portion surrounding the disk may carry a sheet of rubbern35` of sulistantially the same thickness as the rubber disk 23;

and lying in substantially the same plane when the latter is pressed downwardly.

The negative is secured adjacent the in nersurface of the vertical front 11 and over the opening 12, and pivoted at the outer side of the opening Ais a shutter 36 for control- 23 is forced outwardlyy ling the passage of light through the negati \e to the sensitixed blank. rlhis shutter is preferably pii'oied at its lower connected to the pivot is a short arm or lever 237, extending outwardly therefrom. A link le' is connected to the outer 'end of this arm and extends through an opening in the front 1l to the lower end of a lever 39 upon the opposite side of the front to the shutter 313. The lever 39 is pivoted to a block ll() 1 and has a laterally-extending end i1 lying in the path of one of the port the blank carrier and deline its path of movement. The pivot of the lever 35') 'is nearer to the upper end than the lower end, so that by a comparatively short movement of the upper end of the lever, the lower end is swung through a wider range and the shutter is operated. The shutter is .normally held in closed position by a spring ill the tension of which is more than sullicient to overcome the weight of the shutter. ln swinging the blank carrier into position, the blank comes into engagement and proper registry with the negative before the arm 17 engages with the upper end 4l of the llever 39, to swing the latter. lVith the blank in position, a slight pressure applied to the handle 32 and the springs '50 of the blank carrier are compressed. causes a relative movement of the two blocks or members 1S and 19, and as the arms 17 This edge and arms l? which supare pivoted tothe rear member 1S, the

the sensitized blank. No separate operation to open the shutter is necessary, as the mere placing of the blank in position and the continued pressure on the handle 32 operates in itself to open the shutter. As soon as the blank has been exposed for the desired length of time, the operator removes the carrier and the blank released from the carrier and Jfalls by gravity into the receiver 3l. In removing the carrier, the member 1S moves before the member 19, and while this rel atii'e movement is taking place and thesprings Q() are expanding, the shutter is autmnatically closing, so that before the blank leaves the negative, the shutter will be closed and there will be no liability of blurring the picture. The relative movement of the members 18 and 19 while the blank is in position, not only serves to open the shutter but also serves to flatten the rubber disk and to insure the perfect contact of the whole of the blank withthe negative.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent. I

1. In aphotographic printer, the combinalili) .the carrier and a light through said tion with a stationary printing plate support, a swinging carrier for presenting blanks to the plate, pivoted arms for guiding shutter cooperating with the support ,to control the admission of light to the plate, of means for operating the shutter arranged -in the path of and adapted to be actuated by the guiding arms of the carrier.

2.*In a photographic printer, the combination with a stationary printing plate support, a swinging carrier for presenting blanks to the plate, pivoted arms for guiding the carrier and a shutt'r coperating with the support to control the admission of light to the plate, of means normally tending to hold the shutter closed and operating devices for the latteractuated to open the same by engagement with the guiding arms of the carrier when a blank is presented to the plate.

3. n afphotographic printer, 'the combination with astationary printing plate support, a swin 'ng carrier for' presenting blanks to the p ate, pivoted arms for guiding the carrier and a. shutter coperating with the support to control the admission of light to the plate, ,of means for operating the shutter according to the position lof the carrier comprising a crank connected with the shutter, a lever on the support having an arm arranged in the path of the supporting arms and a. link connected to the other arm and to the shutter crank.

4. In combination, a blank carrier' formed of' two'separatemembers movable in respect to each other, means for supporting a printing plate, a shutter for. controlling the passage of light through said plate, and means for controlling said shutter by the relative movement of said members.

In combination, a'blank carrier formed of two relatively-movable. members, means for supporting a printing plate, and means for controlling the passage of light through said plate by the relative movement of said members.

6. in combination, a blank carrier formed of two relatively-movable members, means for supporting a printing plate, means con trolled by the relative movement of said members for securing a blank to said carrier, and means for controlling the passage of plate th-f relative movement of said members.

7. A printing apparatus, including a wall having an aperture therethrough, means for supporting a negative adjacent said aperture,a shutter pivoted to said wall and controlling the. passage of light through said negative, a blank carrier formed of two relatively-movable members and bodily movable in respect to said negative. and meansv controlled by the relative movement of said members for operating said shutter.

8. In a photographic printer, the combination with a support for the printing plate or negative, of a blank carrier and platen provided with vacuumproducing means and an operating member therefor, movable in one direction to control said means and in present the carrier to the printing A nation with a support for the printing plate or negative and a shutter controlling the admission of light to the latter, of a blank carrier and platen and an operating member therefor movable in one direction to present the carrier to the printing plate and to a further degree in thesame direction to actuate the shutter.

ll. In a photographic printer, the combination with a support for the printing plate or negative and a shutter controlling the admission of light tothe latter, of a brani: carrier and platen and an operating member therefor mounted to swing about an axis to present. the carrier to the printing plate and to move radially through such axis to actuate the shutter.

12. Ina photographic printer, the combi,- nation with a support for the printing plate or negative and a shutter controlling the admission of light to the latter, of a blank carmission of light to the latter, of a b ank carrier and platen provided with vacuum producing `means and an operating member therefor mounted to swing about an axis to present the carrier to the printing plate and to slide radially through said axis to both control the vacuum producing means and actuate theshutter.

GUY W. MERRILL. Witnesses:

F. F. CHURor, RUSSELL B. GRIFFITH.

producing means 

